During day 2 at speed skating at the 2024 Special Olympics Winter Games in Calgary, Alberta February 29, 2024. Red Deer's Thomasina Payne (left) brings home a silver medal. (Todd Korol/Special Olympics)

By Alessia Proietti

Thomasina Payne & Cory Nault

Red Deer athletes bring home medals after Special Olympics Canada Winter Games

Mar 7, 2024 | 1:22 PM

Two Red Deer athletes competed at the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Calgary this month, brining home a variety of medals.

Held from February 27 – March 2, athletes with intellectual disabilities from across Canada’s 12 provincial and territorial Special Olympics Chapters competed with the goal of achieving their personal bests.

The athletes made it to nationals by qualifying through their chapters’ Games.

Athletes competed in eight sports including five-pin bowling, alpine skiing, cross country skiing, curling, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing, and speed skating.

Local Thomasina Payne competed successfully in various speed skating competitions, brining home a few medals.

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She won gold in her division for the 333-metre race with a score of 00.58.273, gold in her division for the 500-metre race with a score of 01.25.469, and silver in her division for the 777-metre with a score of 02.20.849.

Red Deer’s Thomasina Payne wins a silver medal for the 777-metre speed skating at the 2024 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games in Calgary. (Special Olympics Alberta)

The Alberta Warriors, made up of Red Deer’s Cory Nault and 12 other athletes from Wetaskiwin, won silver in their Rocky Mountain division for floor hockey.

Throughout the Games, the team had six wins and three losses.

As a result of the Canada Winter Games, some of the athletes will also have the opportunity to be named to the Special Olympics Canada Team for the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Italy.

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